


Inside the Melon Mind: A Treatise on the Watermelon People of Mask Island.

by ilvos01



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 22:21:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6876253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilvos01/pseuds/ilvos01
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A brief editorial on a unique culture. Published in Anthropology Monthly, 2031.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inside the Melon Mind: A Treatise on the Watermelon People of Mask Island.

Of all the various side effects of the second gem-war on Earth, one of the most fascinating yet little discussed is the presence of the melonfolk, colloquially known as "Watermelon Stevens", on Mask Island. They the earliest known result of Steven Quartz Universe's phytokinesis, and resemble him greatly. They are short, perhaps three feet tall, and genetically are nearly identical to citrullus lanatus, or common watermelon, save for minute traces of carbon structure that seem to be conductive to Gem-style energy. Young melonfolk are grown from planted seeds, harvested from the mouths of adult melons. The plants grow normally for less than a week, a timeframe not factored into their lifespan. A ripe melonfolk resembles a child, with a smooth head. They are distributed amongst the populace to be raised by the most capable, gaining awareness a few minutes after being disconnected from their stem. As they mature, a concentric pattern of bumps raise on their head, giving them the appearance of having hair. Their lifespan is, on average, approximately twenty days, though the oldest have been known to survive over a month. They grow to maturity in three to four days.

  
This extremely short lifespan and peculiar method of reproduction lends an interesting slant to their culture. Being incapable of normal speech, their language consists of a small vocabulary of nonverbal gestures. What little sounds they can make from their mouths are only used for emphasis, such as laughter or other emotive expressions. A melonfolk's adolescence is brief and wild–after being indoctrinated into the culture, the young run off on their own, often before reaching full maturity. After a brief period of soul-searching, most melons return to their society. They construct a grass-hut in less than a day, and barring accidents, reside in this home for the rest of their natural lives. Professions are picked based on capability & interest–requiring no food, no need-based economy can arise.

  
No particular social roles exist, either. Melonfolk often communicate or cooperate for no other reason than something to do, and all the melons seem equally capable. With one exception–the elder. The elder is almost always the oldest melon present in the tribe, wearing a ritualistic garb and carrying a staff, with a gourd-rattle tied to the end. This elder melon seems to bear the full cultural knowledge of the tribe, educating the young on the small number of rituals and traditions they possess. This includes weddings & funerals, but mostly consists of their religious practice, which is intimately tied to the early days of the Second Gem War.

  
All melonfolk seem to bear a minuscule amount of Steven Quartz Universe's psychic abilities, but the elder makes the most use of them, conveying traditional stories and information to their successor, whom they hand-pick. The prevailing theory is a higher concentration of energy-conducive carbon present in the elder melons, granting them higher use of their very slight abilities, as well as the ability to recognize a similar mutation when choosing a protégé. This education continues until the elder dies, and the new elder takes their place.

  
The stories conveyed are a fascinating portrayal of the historic Crystal Gems. Most of the melonfolk are aware of their narrative traditions to some extent, but rarely have the comprehensive knowledge of the elder. Cooperating with the current community of melons, I have managed to transcribe some of their history, with liberties taken on the literal translations. It is divided into two parts, and reads like a classical epic–a fall from grace, followed by a return to grace.

  
"At the beginning, we were grown in a single night by [Steven]. (The gesture for Steven is a star upon the chest) We awakened amongst his people, who let us go when [Steven] called us to arms. We were warriors, fervent in our passions to defend our creator, and attacked in his defense. Alas, it was against his wishes. But when challenged by the [warriors-sunlight](Crystal Gems), we truly went too far.

  
"Then, the favored melon ["Baby Melon"](here they use a unique symbol, representing many things, such as Sky, Peace, and the baby-melon figure) was the only one who saw our corruption. He sacrificed himself to quell our rage. Distraught, [Steven] cast us out, and we were cast to the great ocean for many months.  
"We came upon [Mask Island] and found a hideous demon on its shores. A prisoner of the [warriors-sunlight], the first elder declared it was in this paradise we would make our home, guarding the demon as our penance. The demon shared our skin, and its unbearable rage reflected our own warrior hearts. We found peace in the calm sea, which chained the demon and became the focus of our lives–peaceful, ever-changing, powerful yet wise.

  
"We guarded the demon as long as we could. Our elders foretold that [Steven] would come to us, and bring the [warriors-sunlight] to crush the demon. And generations later, he did. His divine soul chose one of us as a perfect avatar, created as we were in his image, and we brought him to the demon. Soon thereafter, the [warriors-sunlight] came, becoming the [divine-warrior-ocean](Alexandrite) to battle the demon and save us.

  
"But [Steven] came again, and called us to arms. Our warrior spirits had not died, and we turned them against the demon, who was a symbol for all the hatred and anger in our hearts. Together with the [divine-warrior-ocean], we conquered the demon, and the [warriors-sunlight] rescued the two of their own at its heart. One was cast into a pit, one taken to salvation.

"And then we understood, what [baby melon] had sacrificed himself for."

  
The narrative is undeniably religious, but no formal structure exists. Nowadays, it simply seems to serve as a system of traditions, mostly centered around holidays and personal philosophy. One cannot deny the various savior images within the narrative, as well as other parallels to human religions. The focus on "Baby Melon", who represents various images in their doctrine, reveals an intrinsic desire for tranquility. Given that phytokinesis produces warrior-plants, this makes some amount of sense.

  
The melonfolk also have a close relationship with the ocean. They believe it is the mortal half of the sky, and though not as divine, has more power to affect the Earth than the sky. Similar themes play throughout many parts of their culture, and one must think back to their creator, Steven Quartz Universe, who is himself the first hybrid between Gems and Humans. It is evident that Universe's psychic abilities can connect with the melons, and pieces of their culture may have been informed by his subconscious.

  
Tourism to Mask Island is nonexistent, not for lack of interest, but for its inclusion in the gem-human treaties. A warp pad was re-established in the village, but its usage is only permitted by Crystal Gems or special request, the latter of which is how yours truly was able to complete his research. Images and basic information on the melonfolk of Mask Island was made public at the end of the Second Gem War, but was lost to public interest given the large amount of other information revealed at the same time.

  
On a personal note, I would mention I greatly enjoyed the two days I spent with the melons. Their limited vocabulary was intuitive, and very easy to master, so most of my time was spent simply relaxing on a beach, enjoying their simple company. You would not realize from their generosity that their lifespan is so short, and they end every day with a small festival, dancing and simple music on the beach. Aside from research on emergent culture, we might all be able to learn something from their peaceful lifestyles.


End file.
